“Soft Path” from Dog Beach to Main Lifeguard Station Part of Master Plan

Lots of action is promised at the next Ocean Beach Planning Board meeting Wednesday night, May 16th.

Actually, it’s the Project Review Committee that is meeting, and they make recommendations on projects to the full Board – which will meet next on June 6th. Both committees meet at the OB Rec Center, 4728 Santa Monica Avenue.

First on the agenda is something called the “Ocean Beach Waterfront Master Plan” – a plan for the ocean front of OB being rolled out from the Design Committee of the OB Mainstreet Association.

Among the elements of this so-called “Master Plan” is a recommendation for a “soft path connecting Dog Beach and the Santa Monica Lifeguard Tower”. This could be controversial as a similar idea of a boardwalk was floated years ago but was brought down to defeat by last-minute grassroots’ opposition.

Other elements of the “Master Plan” include upgrades and improvements to Veteran’s Park, pier stairway improvements, and community entryway signage.

Although, the OB Planning Board has ultimate responsibility for improvement projects to the community within the “public element” of the village, it certainly can entertain ideas for improvements from any sector of the community.

Also, on the Project Review Committee’s agenda is the “upgrade and remodel of existing cafe and commercial space” on the OB Pier. Also, a request to expand a single-family residence at 4635 Bermuda Street is on the agenda. Finally, there is a request to build an addition to the existing property at 5072 Niagara Avenue.

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once again, plans for the village weighing the wants of some with the needs of many. attending this meeting will assure that the “many” have an opportunity to speak up. thanx for the timely reminder for this important community meeting.

I think that sounds like a great idea,but I’d have to see further details..Of course if I like it everyone on here will probably hate it.lol Try and knock it down before you even hear their proposal? Sounds like someone is itchin to pull the protest trigger.The many? What if the many want it and you are the few?Will you still try and block it?As soon as someone mentions “improvment” and “OB” you all get riled up.Geez….

Ok Ken. I’ll hold back on my judgement on this until we hear about it. And I’m certainly not saying it is bad… but maybe its merit is limited to the entirety of the village.

I’ll just point out, probably to Sunshine’s point, that I see a list of improvements that are fairly limited to bringing in tourists or visitors, but not necessarily any that are aimed at serving the actual residents…although one could argue that we share the ‘waterfront’ area…but it would be a fairly weak argument. Everyone knows that the transients own this area.

I’m sure that since the OBMA folks are generating the ideas, that this will be somewhat limited to serving their customers…and not the rest of us who just live around here. Although it will be painted in the light of the ‘common good’ of all the wonderful OBceans of OB… who stuck their Respect OB stickers on their cars yesterday.

Where is the razor wire upgrade to the seawall? I’m sure you’d all appreciate that wouldn’t you guys. That’s what you guys really want… That would take care of all of your angst…those pestering kids and their marryJwanna smokin’ at the darn pier. and of course the public defecation and urination…. just to name a few issues.

Obviously we need a new public restroom at the Lifeguard station. I cannot speak to the other improvements at this short notice. I do know it took two-plus years to have the Brighton Ave beach public restroom built. And I know that money is very scarce. Libraries and fire rings have been on the chopping block these past several years, so even if someone or something passed these improvements and upgrades, it could be years before anything is improved.

And by the way, Ocean Beach was supposed to have a new library – remember that? Is that on this list? I was on the OB Planning Board in the early years of this century, when the new plans for a new library were presented – and passed. Yet, all we got was a new roof, a new carpet, and basically some fresh paint – not to demean the volunteers and efforts to get even that much. But the fact is OB was promised a library and it has yet materialized. This should be the priority of any Master Plan. Let’s start with that, new public restrooms, and depending on what the lifeguards say, a new lifeguard station like the new one just opened in …. drum roll … La Jolla.

I’m reading a good book right now called “The Better Angles of our Nature”. In it, the author describes “The broken window theory” Wikipedia describes that “…monitoring and maintaining urban environments in a well-ordered condition may stop further vandalism and escalation into more serious crime”.

Basically, if there is trash all over the streets – people litter more. If there is a disgusting public restroom, people poop elsewhere.

Passed by the La Jolla lifeguard tower this past weekend and noticed it looks exactly the same as OB’s. Although, as you point out, they are getting a brand new one – we are…? not?

The more poop, trash, and vandalism that occurs would never lead to a murder in OB would it. It did.

New restrooms! MORE restrooms! I understand the difficulties of putting in a third “comfort station” somewhere along the beach, but even though we all hate people dropping off human waste in inappropriate places (which was a much worse problem when I lived in the war zone than since relocating to the south), it’s harder to hate when proper facilities are lacking…

By the way, what’s a “soft walkway?” Is that one of those rubberized raised sidewalks? I don’t know that I hate that idea as much as putting up a concrete barrier to give the beachfront land owners a buffer to build mini-manses/vacation rentals right up to the edge of…

What happened to the bike path at the entryway? May I suggest that one project be finished before another is started? If a bathroom is needed make it just that a place to pee that is cheap to construct, safe, easy to clean with no additional cost for some crazy architectural design

The soft path would be a non-concrete path that connects Newport and Dog Beach. Currently, pedestrians with pooches have to walk through the residential area or parking lots; this would provide a safe, direct path. I think it sounds great! The bronze lifeguard statue, not so much.

I’d also advocate use of photovoltaics and recycled materials wherever possible.

A soft walkway would allow a nice prompt dispatch of SDPD to, in true “Respect OB” style, beat marijywanna smokers into submission with billy clubs at any location on the beach between Newport and Dog’s.
This will be the best way to shield the virgin eyes of our 8 year olds- who, because at this point in time are ours, the world must stop and revolve around.
Didn’t someone recently suggest an anonymous tip line, like they have in LA’s beach communities? Some silliness about a “no drug/crime zone”?
We think more laws may help.

On the path issue….one more thing to maintain. Why can’t people just walk in the sand? It’s good exercise. Come on people is it really necessary??? Walk in the sand, take some body’s hand and la la la “Remember (Walking In The Sand) Lyrics Aerosmith” . It will be used as a cut through for bikes and skateboarders. Seems like there are better ways to spend some money. By the way, where is this money coming from?

Good to hear no dogs otherwise the walkway would be litter with poo poo. But will this need to be wide to accommodate the bikes, rollerskates, skateboards etc? As for ADA…we can’t make the whole world ADA friendly. There just isn’t enough money. The majority of people in this world can still walk. Even walk on sand! Imagine that????

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